Co-Solvent vapor degreasing is the long term cleaning process of the future.

Normal vapor degreasing uses a single solvent to clean and rinse parts. Because the solvent must be boiled in a single solvent vapor degreasing system only solvent with no flash points can be used.

Solvents with no flash points are found only in chemistries based in Chlorine, Bromine or Fluorine. While all of these can be used in vapor degreasers, they each face serious problems, which can be avoided in a co-solvent system.

Chlorinated solvents all have either environmental issues such as ozone depletion or low-level air pollution in the form of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or heath issues being suspected carcinogens or reproductive hazards. Some industries such as electronics manufacturing avoid using chlorinated and brominated solvents during the manufacturing process.

Fluorinated solvents are not ozone depleters and are not regulated as VOCs. Fluorinated solvents also have less impact on human health. The problem with fluorinated solvents is that the solvency strength is very weak. To be used effectively in a single solvent system, they must be azeotroped with trans 1,2-dichloroethylene which is a chlorinated solvent.

Co-Solvent vapor degreasing solvent uses a high boiling point solvent for degreasing and cleaning. Then it uses a fluorinated solvent for rinsing. Thus co-solvent avoids using Chlorinated and Brominated solvents that can be issues with health or the environment. It makes up for the poor solvency of Fluorinated solvents by using non-halogenated solvents for removal of residues.

Thus co-solvent vapor degreasing is a long term alternative to single solvent systems such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and normal propyl bromide (nPB) that are being regulated out manufacturing in many parts of the world.

Banner Chemicals has expert that have been working with all types of co-solvent vapor degreasing systems for 20 years. Banner offers both solvating agents and rinse agents for co-solvents systems. We also have close connections with companies that design and build co-solvent cleaning equipment. Please contact the Banner Precision Cleaning Solutions group for more details on co-solvent vapor degreasing.

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About PCS

“Precision Cleaning” means we specialize in cleaning critical parts in industries such as aerospace, medical manufacturing, optics, electronics assembly, semiconductors, military, automotive and any industry in which perfect cleaning is a requirement.